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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191791">How to Befriend a Cat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengedearth/pseuds/avengedearth'>avengedearth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Titans (Animated Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:48:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191791</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengedearth/pseuds/avengedearth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The most wanted woman in town has announced that she'll only marry the one who can open her front door with they key around her cat's neck. Many men try to hunt the cat down, but it's too quick. The proper way to do it is only obvious to one person. Don't chase the cat when you can befriend it.</p>
<p>I used the idea that I saw on a post and ran with it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>How to Befriend a Cat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The most coveted woman in town was also the most eccentric. Suitor after suitor had sought to take her on a date, each one denied. This didn’t stop the influx of men and women clamoring at her door for her affections. Eventually, the woman had enough, posting a proclamation to her door to stop those unworthy of her time from bothering her. In flowing script, it read:</p>
<p>To those who would seek out the woman of this residence:<br/>In order to prove your worth, you must find the black cat that roams this yard.<br/>The one who is able to get the key from around her neck shall prove themself worthy.<br/>Whoever finds this key and opens the front door may win the heart of the woman inside.<br/>Best of Luck,<br/>Raven</p>
<p>It became a regular event for townsfolk to come to her sprawling yard to chase the cat. Every Friday after work, people would gather together for drinks and to plot and plan how best to capture the cat--and with it, the heart of its owner. The next morning, the hunt would begin.</p>
<p>Traps were set up in the garden, along the tall walls of the lavish looking house, near the wrought iron gate and in every dark space a cat might look to hide. People would mill about, laughing and making merry. The occasional shout went up when someone saw--or thought they saw the cat. A flurry of activity always followed this, everyone clamoring to be the one to capture it. Raven would occasionally stray from her work to stare out the window at the scene below, knowing they would never catch her--the cat was much smarter than the average feline. A small smile graced Raven’s dark painted lips as she slipped out of the house while everyone was distracted.</p>
<p>“There!” A man shouted, pointing a gnarled finger to the front of the house. Sleek black fur glistened in the sunlight as the cat turned her head, surveying all those who thought they stood a chance at catching her. She had perched on a pillar, just out of reach of the grubby hands and nets of the people, almost as if mocking them. It wasn’t long before she grew bored of staring at them. Turning back to the house, she jumped on the roof and quickly made her way to the side of the house before leaping down and sprinting to the garden, the key swinging back and forth with every stride. Several people reached for her, falling as they went to grab her while others tripped over their own feet in their haste to make it to the garden. No serious injuries ever occurred during these plights. Nothing beyond a few scrapes and bruises. By the end of the day, what hurt the most were people’s egos. Not once had they managed to even brush their fingers through the silky black fur of the cat, let alone get their hands on the key. Like a game of keep away--the cat had something they wanted, but it was always just out of their grasp. It was just enticing enough that they subjected themselves to this humiliation and wounded pride on a weekly basis.</p>
<p>It was never expressed that the hunt had to be on certain days, but when lone hunters would come on other days, the sightings of the cat were always fewer. Sometimes, she would show herself, others the men would be left roaming the yard until the cover of darkness took over, forcing them to leave. The small solar lights around the garden and along the path from the front door to the gate didn’t provide enough light to hunt by, especially not with a creature as cunning as this feline. Eventually, single searchers gave up and joined the large party on Saturdays, as well as the revelry that surrounded the event.</p>
<p>It was when everyone else had given up--maybe six months after the initial posting of the notice and two months since the stragglers had joined the main group--that Raven began to see a lone young man begin wandering her yard. It was usually late afternoon on Sundays. The would-be suitors from the night before would all still be at home, nursing hangovers and minor injuries from the previous day, so he had the yard to himself. There was something different about this one than all those who had come alone previously. His posture was different--more open and less predatory. He would often find a sunny spot and lay down in the grass, or sit on one of the benches in the garden. Even though he showed up regularly, he only stayed for a few hours before heading off again.</p>
<p>One sunny Sunday, the young man fell asleep after he had settled himself in a sunny spot on the well manicured lawn behind the house--which somehow managed to stay soft, even with the numerous pairs of feet that trampled it on a weekly basis. Curiously, the cat made her way over, stepping over him and on him to test whether he was truly sleeping. When she stepped on his stomach, the young man made a small sound, cracking his eyes open. He made no attempt to grab her even though she was so close to him.</p>
<p>“Hello,” he said softly, not moving a muscle. “I hope I didn’t startle you.”</p>
<p>At his words, the cat dashed away, finding higher ground to perch on. They were still in sight of one another, but she was far enough that he couldn’t make an attempt to grab her, even if he had wished to do so.</p>
<p>“Wow, you are such a beautiful cat,” he stated, sitting up and smiling at the cat. “My name’s Garfield, but my friends call me Beast Boy. Though, I think I might be outgrowing the name a little. I’m not a little boy any more.” His smile widened into a grin.</p>
<p>The cat regarded him coolly, her eyes fixed on him while her ears rotated, picking up all the sounds around her to ensure that no ambush was waiting for her.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry. You’re too smart to be caught by the likes of me,” Beast Boy pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t want to impose on your time, so if you’d like me to leave, blink once.” He waited in hopeful silence for a moment, watching the unblinking cat. “I’m glad you don’t want me to go. I just want someone to talk to. My apartment doesn’t allow pets, so I can’t have my own and my best friend is moving out of town. Talking on the phone isn’t quite the same as in person.” Beast Boy chattered well into the afternoon, eventually settling back onto his back while he talked, the cat remaining in the same alert position she had first settled herself into.</p>
<p>Beast Boy sighed, checking his watch. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time. But I’ll be back next week, same time.” He rose to his feet, brushing the dirt and grass from the back of his jeans. “I’ve gotta walk past you to get to the front,” he warned. She held her ground, unwavering as he walked past.</p>
<p>As promised, Beast Boy returned the next week. The air was crisp as the season was beginning to change. Summer was coming to a close and Autumn was approaching. Despite summer’s end meaning the weather would be colder, Beast Boy was thrilled. As much as he enjoyed days lounging in the hot summer sun, there was something to be said for the bright oranges and reds that would soon be lining the limbs of the trees and floating through the air in a whirl of color.</p>
<p>“It’s a beautiful day,” Beast Boy remarked idly as he laid a blanket out in the grass of Raven’s lawn, making himself at home. “The air feels so… clean.” He cracked open a can of cat food and left it halfway between the cat and himself, hoping to coax her closer. “I hope you get plenty of time to enjoy it, without all these fools chasing you around.” He laughed and settled onto the blanket, pulling out a bag of carrots to munch on as he had his one-sided conversation. As he surveyed the yard, he couldn’t help but to notice the size. “You’ve got a lot of room to run around, at least.” The cat blinked at him, then stood up, trotting over to investigate the food. When she decided it wasn’t to her liking, she moved upwind from the can, slightly closer to the boy chatting her ear off. Smiling, Beast Boy went on to recount some funny stories from over the last week as the cat sat with her head cocked in his direction.</p>
<p>Weeks went on like this. The weather turned colder and the trees turned brighter before dropping their leaves to the ground. Every week, Beast Boy brought a new treat in an attempt to win favor with the cat. She would check them out, deciding how worthy they were before settling in the listen to the young man talk. Each visit brought her closer and closer, though she still remained just outside of his reach, ready to bolt at the slightest sign that he was going to grab at her.</p>
<p>Until the week that was different. The cat had grown quite fond of these little visits, which were a nice reprieve from the townsfolk chasing her around a whole day--though that was entertainment in its way. Even in rainstorms, Beast Boy had at least dropped off a little peace offering for the cat. But this day--a beautiful day, mind you--he didn’t come. He didn’t even walk past the front gate. The cat had kept a close eye out for him, ready to hear the latest installment of the drama beyond the gates. As the sun set, painting an array of colors across the sky before casting it into darkness, the young man had still not set foot on Raven’s property. Dejectedly, the cat returned to the house for the night.</p>
<p>The following week, he was back. His face had lost some of its color and his eyes no longer sparkled with joy. It was as if he had aged significantly since he had shown up only two weeks prior. Trotting out to meet him, the cat wound herself through his legs, rubbing against him in hopes of bringing a little bit of joy to this defeated looking young man.</p>
<p>“Hey, girl,” Beast Boy said softly, bending down and reaching out tentatively to pet her. “Sorry I wasn’t here last week.” He scratched behind her ears, looking only for comfort in the softness of her fur even as the key dangled only inches from his fingers. “I hope you weren’t too worried.”</p>
<p>Looking up at him as if trying to read his soul, the cat gave a little meow and started walking to the front of the house, turning back after a few steps to check if he was following. His face lightened a little and he followed her all the way up the steps to the front door, where she started pawing at the key attached to her collar.</p>
<p>“Do you want me to have that?” His hand reached out slowly, ready to stop should the cat change her mind. She didn’t. After removing the key, he hefted it in his hand. It was an older key, matching the older house. Unrusted, despite hanging from the cat’s neck and being in the elements. He ran a finger along the grooves of the key before turning the lock and stepping inside.</p>
<p>“Hello?” He called, looking up at the grand staircase that elegantly curved around the foyer. There was a gentle opulence to the place. It was only lightly decorated, and surprisingly well lit. Everything was clean and the marble of the stairs almost seemed to glow.</p>
<p>A voice behind him spoke. “I thought you could use a human friend.”</p>
<p>Turning, Beast Boy saw the woman of the house. She who had been coveted by all the people in town. Sure, he had been curious about her, but much more so about her cat. “I-I’m sorry. The cat seemed to want me to have the key and I just--”</p>
<p>“I wanted you to have the key. You looked too sad for any games. I’m just as good of a listener whether I’m a human or a cat.”</p>
<p>“That was you? The whole time?”</p>
<p>As her smile spread across her face, he could see a rather feline quality to it. “I’m Raven, though you probably already guessed that. Let me get you something to drink, then we can talk about anything, so long as we ease your burden a little.” She led him to a room just off the entryway before leaving to grab refreshments. Just inside were lush sofas and rows and rows of books in beautiful walnut shelves that were set directly into the walls. A few reading lamps were set on the tables next to the couches. A small work station was set up on the far end of the room with stacks of unshelved books covering most of the surface. There were a few star charts and maps on the walls, but not much in the way of decorations, yet again.</p>
<p>“Do you like it?” Raven asked, setting a tray down on a low table in front of the sofas.</p>
<p>“It’s beautiful,” Beast Boy replied, his eyes settling on the pair of dark ones that seemed to read him. A motion from her and he seated himself in the corner of the nearest couch and settled in. She sat next to him and handed him a pillow, which he clutched to his chest.</p>
<p>“Even if you’re not interested in what my little letter to the town had to say, I’d still like to be friends,” she said softly, making up a couple of mugs of hot chocolate.</p>
<p>“I’d like that.” He accepted the mug as she handed it to him, settling in to tell her why he hadn’t been by, his demeanor relaxing further as the weight of the information left him. His best friend had been in an accident and was now a bunch of robotic pieces attached to his friend’s brain. Yesterday had been the first time his friend came to and he had chastised him for not ‘meeting his new cat friend’. By the end of his story, Beast Boy even had a gentle smile on his face. “I’m thinking I gotta come up with some sort of cool new nickname for him now… Something like Tin Can or Cyborg.”</p>
<p>“I like Cyborg,” Raven chimed in softly, glad to see that Beast Boy looked himself again.</p>
<p>“Me too.”</p>
<p>The two of them continued seeing each other, on more days than just Sundays. They grew closer and closer until they started dating. Raven met Beast Boy’s best friend, ‘Cyborg’, who promptly made his robot hands give a thumbs up, telling his friend that he got a girl way out of his league. It was more than Beast Boy had ever hoped for, when all he had wanted was to try and befriend a cat.</p>
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